Blimps in the Heavens Over Akron
A Goodyear executive dreamt of populating the sky with dirigibles. He settled for securing his company—and his blimps—a place in the public imagination.
What “Pain” Means
The English word “pain” once meant punishment, but over time, it’s been used to refer to different kinds of unpleasant experiences.
Plough Monday
Or, how to follow the Christmas holiday with a festival of pranks, trick-or-treating, and drunken revelry.
Hoosier Cabinets and the Dream of Efficiency
Out of Indiana came a beloved wooden innovation that helped change the status of the kitchen in the American home.
Reasons for Re-Enacting at the Renaissance Faire
Why do we love donning period costumes and re-enacting our history through mock battles, pioneer villages, and Renaissance Faires?
How Al Capone Made Greyhound Racing Great
In the 1920s, Chicago became the greyhound racing capital of the country, thanks in part to the power of mobsters like Capone, who was a big fan.
In the Palm of Your Hand
Palm reading, also known as palmistry or chiromancy, has fascinated us as a practice and a party trick for centuries.
The Merchants of Venice—In Code
Sixteenth-century Venice conducted its affairs in code, so much so that cryptology was professionalized and regulated by the state.
Frederick Gowing, King of Poachers
The cultural construction of poaching meant Gowing’s trespasses were understood differently than other kinds of theft in an industrializing Britain.
A Selection of Student Confessions
Did you break a campus rule? Let the students of Millersville Normal School show you how to confess to the administration.